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Tettra Shinden to Kyofu

I've got a Tettra 50 fs size Shinden coming from Japan in a week or so.
I am thinking about raising the wing on this N1K2 version to a mid wing N1K1 and making it into a Kyofu seaplane version. You don't see these everyday at the pond. It will require not only the wing location mod but some vertical fin changes also. What are your opinions. Below are the links to one of the model company sites and the plastic model site with both the "George" and "Kyofu" seaplane versions.

RE: Tettra Shinden to Kyofu

I actually bought a Tettra Cessna 182 50sz kit from a US serviceman stationed in Japan off Fleabay a while back. Was very impressed with the kit which is designed for flaps even though it's a smaller version than most. The rounded fuse sides are already steam bent so the hard shaping is done for you. Quality balsa throughout the kit reminiscent of the Royal/Marutaka kits but better plans and more refined pieces vs. the solid balsa blocks of the R/M kits. I will take some pictures of it and post when I get it. My friend in Japan sent it out two days ago and it's already been processed in NY city! Pretty fast for half way around the globe. Shipping was less than $50 too. Below I'm posting a site that has the Tettra line of kits. There is a 120 size Japanese dual float plane kit that I bet would really excite your liking! Take a look at it. It would have a real presence at the pond and not too many would ever be there. They even have a Rufe kit in many sizes including a .60 size. Not sure if this company bought some of the old Marutaka tooling and continued with some of the line.

RE: Tettra Shinden to Kyofu

I got the kit today. Super nice kit. Clear cowl, easy to mount then paint and reinforce with fiberglass cloth inside. High quality balsa and ply. Nice decals and plans showing both fixed and retract install. It comes with ply die cut rib doublers for mounting retract rails too. The die cut is super crisp and parts virtually fall out cleanly even out of the ply. It has a decent hardware package really only minus the hinges which is OK with me as I use robart pins. The wing fillets on the real plane are quite big and this one comes with clear molded plastic one also. Aluminum wheel covers are included also. It has built up tail surfaces except for a solid fin but they are built flat not airfoil shape. The wing has a small area that would be open bay but it is very easy to completely sheet. It also has strip ailerons but I will go scale on those. A very impressive kit for $204 considering what you get these days. I know it will be the only one I'll see that is for sure. I will build it as the K2 version and skip the float version. I still have the Marutaka Rufe to build and a Kyosho 182 to put on floats so I will have a nice stable of float planes without this one. Enjoy the pictures.

RE: Tettra Shinden to Kyofu

Hi Tom,
He shopped around and bought it from a hobby shop with the cheapest combined cost of kit and shipping to his home. Cost to his house was $145. He then opened the shipping box to check the kit over, then taped it back up and shipped it to me. It was $57.73 to ship which only took 4 days. I am really impressed with the kit. Should go together very quickly and the areas where the Royals used big blocks sanded down this kit uses the formed plastic which will make the process fast and is pretty thick and strong. I saw another thread on a forum somewhere where people complained that the Tettra kits were sparse on the hardware end and complained about no fuel tank or hinges. Actually, hardware including a special tail wheel set up is included and the only items not are the hinges and fuel tank. Most of us prefer to use the hinges and fuel tanks of our choice anyway so I can't understand the *****ing about that. I will do some mods to the kit like scale ailerons, servo for each aileron, and fully sheeted wings as it is only a very small piece that not sheeted anyway. I would rather glass this anyway than cover it. I will use solartex on the stab and flight surfaces though. Should be a nice flyer. Will use the HK electric 60sz retract units too. Not sure when I'm going to get to it but hope it's soon. Still haven't put the damn A-ray on the floats yet but have flown it about 6-10 times and it flies great with the little Magnum 30FS. Nice sounding too. Wish I had those floats mounted as we are supposed to get about 2' of snow tomorrow and Sat. I now realize that there will be too much snow to get down field anyway.[]

RE: Tettra Shinden to Kyofu

Hey Thomas,
Thanks for the heads up. Yes, that's the animal I was thinking about. I guess if I build this kit as the N1K2 and it flies well I could always build another and modify it to a K1 and a Kyofu. Looking at the plans and the way the kit goes together it shouldn't be too hard. The float from my Rufe is close to identical in design other than the mounting which is the opposite. The Rufe has the one slanting pylon in the front with two rear side supports. The Kyofu has the two side supports up front with the single pylon in the rear. The rear pylon makes for an easy servoless rudder drive down through the pylon like my BT Kingfisher. Once I'm done restoring this damn Blazer I can get back to building RC and not have the wife getting after me. Of course I've been doing a lot of shooting and reloading with my son. Kind of stock piling .45, 9mm, and .223. Just another distraction from the RC Hobby.